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INSIDE BC
contents

8
laura regan
The Atlas Shrugged star speaks
up about child-rearing while
pursuing an acting career
20
how clean is too clean
Protecting our family against
germs is one of our utmost
priorities, but when do we cross
the over-sanitation line?
32
nikki deloach
The Awkward star proves she is
anything but when it comes to
mothering her son, Hudson
36
wrestling with motherhood
The WWE fighter reveals her
struggles as a DES survivor
and shares her motherhood
experiences

32

36

57
20

48

2

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How Awkward
High school marks some of the most embarrassing experiences for many of us. I am always mortified when
I remember an awful rage episode, where, during a
school carnival/fair I was invited by a guy to ride the
Ferris wheel with him. My friends (including a boy
I liked who later on became my first boyfriend) kept
shouting and teasing us from the ground. I started going crazy each time the wheel turned (to this day, I cannot explain why, but I think it must have been because
I didn’t want the guy I liked to think I was ‘entertaining’ other guys). It got to a point I was even screaming
profanities from the top of the ride so that I could get
out, which forced the operator to indulge my insanity.
I still have a hard time facing ‘Ferris wheel man’, and
hope to God he has selective amnesia and has forgotten aforementioned episode, as I cannot forgive myself.
High school was also when I wasn’t able to do a
cartwheel during our cheerleading routine finals out
of fear that I’ll fall flat on my face. At the last minute I
decided to do a split instead in the middle of the gym
like an idiot, while the rest were doing cartwheels as
intended. Nice. That is why I didn’t want to cheer in
university anymore.
Teenage years however, are also some of the most
amazing times of our lives—it’s when we form a huge
chunk of our identity, and are the most formative years,
if you ask me. This is when we decide what to take
up in college, form the best friendships we will make,
maybe find our partner for life, and where we find ourselves in a way emancipating from our parents. From
the ages 0 to 5 children’s brains are rapidly developing,
but the personality and self-worth is truly formed during the teens.
I mention the teen years because our cover mom,
Nikki DeLoach, plays a young mom to a teenager on
the show, Awkward. I always cringe when I remember

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the first season of the show, where Lacey (Nikki’s character) sent her daughter Jenna an anonymous “carefrontation” letter. As a parent to an almost teenager, I see this
as one of the better shows out there that exemplifies the
dynamics among parents and our growing kids, the hits
and misses especially when it comes to discipline, and
whether our intentions for our children prove to be the
best.
Three other celebrity moms join us this issue, Ali
Landry, Laura Regan, Amy Webber. All of them seem to
have found their footing as mothers, and inspire us that
we can have it all if we look beyond those days where
all you want to do is plop on the bed and have so much
quiet it is deafening.
I’m always excited to help pick out items for our BC
list, as it is always an easy and interesting read. I find myself discovering new things in the process, and am more
than happy to share these finds with other parents.
October marks two very special events in our household—my eldest Sabina’s 11th birthday, and Halloween.
You’ll find a cool, ghoul dessert spread in our pages that’s
easy to do, so I hope you enjoy it as much as we loved
snacking on the finished products.
To my darling girl, Sabina, I hope you never get too
old to want to sleep beside me. I hope we always share
secrets and laugh at jokes no one but our family gets, that
we feel boneless from all the giggling. I hope you keep
your heart so tender that you will never be ashamed to
cry in movies, and want to adopt animals (even insects)
that are orphaned. I love you more than words can say.
To all of you, have a wonderful Fall, and please enjoy our 8th Anniversary issue. It’s been quite a ride for all
of us at BC. Thank you for your trust.

laura regan
K: Tell us about your years growing up
in Canada, and your best memories
from that.
L: I have to say, just running wild—

literally running around with friends,
building forts in the woods and just
waiting for that, “Dinner!” call from
far away. You all sort of think whose
parents will call first, and then that
they’ll have to go, and they’d be all
bummed that they’d have to go first.
K: I remember those...
L: But then the other

parents would
call, too. That sort of freedom of—I
don’t wanna be too nostalgic or
downbeat, but I don’t know that that’s
totally available to kids now.
K: Yeah, absolutely.
L: Depending on where

you live. You
know, it was kinda different.
K: It’s a completely different time. Like
we used to climb up tall trees.
L: Yeah.
K: Now, I freak out if my kids even
think about going up one. I’m like, “Oh
my God, they’re gonna fall. How many
stitches will they need?” You know?
L: Yeah, I know. Are they wearing

a
helmet? Everybody needs a helmet
now and everything.
K: So, I was told you also have family in
the entertainment industry.
L: Not really. Gerald is my father, and

my sister was a newscaster. She was
well-known in Canada because she
hosted a news show.

K: Okay, that’s probably what it was.
L: I wouldn’t call it so much enter-

tainment... And my dad was a politician—that’s not entertaining people.

K: Not at all, haha! I read you’re from
Nova Scotia?
L: I’m from Nova Scotia, but I went

to University of Montreal, and then I
moved to New York because I wasn’t
a Drama major at Miguel at Montreal

but I wanted to be, and I was kind of in
my second and a half year when I realized I wanted to be a Drama major. I
did my Junior and Senior year away—I
just left. I went to New York, and I
made some arrangements with the
Dean and I sent him my credits then
I started studying acting in New York.
I just forged my own path from there.
K: So you already knew you wanted to
be an actress long before moving to
NYC.
L: Yes, I knew I wanted to learn about

drama. I wanted to try to do plays but
I was just saying these words because
I didn’t know anybody who was an
actress. I didn’t know anybody who had
ever been in a television show, or in a
movie. It was such a far concept to me.
It didn’t really seem like something I
could really do. I wanted to try, but I
didn’t have the first idea how. But once
I got to New York—I was on a student

visa at first—and right away, I knew
that was what I wanted.
K: From Canada to New York, how was
the transition like?
L: I’ve always loved big cities, I love

New York, London, Paris. I just felt
like I belonged, like a ‘This is where I
was meant to be,’ kind of thing. It was
not a difficult transition at all, except
nobody would rent an apartment to
me.
K: That is insane.
L: Because I was

credit.

Canadian—I had no

K: That’s right.
L: The worst

part is the horrible
sublets in one corner of somebody’s closet that I could occupy from
Monday to Friday. And then every
Friday I would be thinking, where
am I gonna stay, I don’t know where
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to go.

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K: Whose couch am I gonna bum off?
And you were how old at this time?
L: I was 20.
K: When people see you, what do they
normally say? “Hey you’re that girl
from...?”
L: Sometimes they say Mad Men or

any number of the scary movies I’ve
done—usually Dead Silence or They.
But you know what? It’s a very funny
business. The first time I had a big
movie come out in theaters, I was like,
“Oh my God, it just came out, it’s
Friday night!” Three days later, I was
at a little supermarket in New York,
a little deli on my corner, and I went
in and a guy’s like, “Hey, I saw you.
You’re...” I was all excited thinking,
“Oh my God, he saw the movie!” And
he was like, “Uh, you were that blonde
in Law and Order.” Or probably worse,
like, “Oh, you were in that Tampax
commercial.”
K: Thank you for pulling me back to the
ground.
L: Yeah, “Uh oh, you didn’t see my

movie.” Oh, okay.

K: Haha! What is it like being in successful shows like Mad Men? What
lessons do you take from those experiences? First as an actress, and later as
a working mother?
L: Everytime I work, I learn something

new because every project is different
and you’re always with different groups
of people. Every set has a different
kind of pace, a different feel, and
especially if you’re arriving as a guest
star, you kind of have to find your
footing pretty quickly. You arrive and
you’re on set with a 150 new people
whom you never met before, and you
have to be comfortable. I’m constantly
learning and reminding myself to find
my way around a new set. But as a
mother, that’s interesting. There’s not
a lot you take from Mad Men about
good mothering, really.

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K: In general, what has being in the
industry taught you about being a better mother? On time management, or
patience?
L: Once I had my first baby, I just felt

like there was an extra dose of fulfillment that I really would miss otherwise. I really love being able to do both.
I love being able to work, and I feel
like when I arrive at home, hopefully
it’s a working day where I actually get
to be home for the kids’ dinner and
bath—which isn’t always the case in
the entertainment industry, so that’s
tricky. When you miss bedtime and
bathtime—which is such a great end
of day, being able to tuck them in—
that’s hard and sad. Assuming that I
do make it, then I arrive home with
so much more energy. I don’t arrive
home like I’ve gone to work all day. I
arrive home so much more energized,
and the change of scenery is so good
for anyone who’s dealing with young
children, I think.

K: It’s like you still get to keep a part of
yourself— have the best of both worlds.
L: It is the best and it is tricky—I’ve

been a pumping mother for the last
10 and 1/2 months now for my little
girl—which is a whole other thing
because everybody thinks that you
go to your trailer and get maybe half
an hour to eat lunch. Well, you gotta
pump and clean your pumping stuff,
clean the bottles and freeze the milk,
and sterilize it. By the time you sit
down and you’re with the fork ready to
take a bite of lunch, that’s when then
they go, (knocking) “Touches!” Then
they take you back to the makeup trailer. Everybody’s like, “Did you have a
nice lunch?” and you’re like, “Yeah,
had a nice lunch.” The movie Atlas
Shrugged I did when my baby was just
3 and 1/2 months to 5 months old.
She wasn’t eating food, just sort of
thriving on me. That was time management—boy, I had to be on top of it
because I was the lead of the movie.
I was practically in every scene, and

laura regan

“[Children] are such little
sponges, they want to do
exactly what we do. You just
have to say something one time
and your kid will repeat it, pick
up on it.”
—on teaching her kids to live a conscious, green lifestYle

they didn’t have spare time. Luckily, I
had help from a girl who became my
assistant—she was amazing. I’m just
sitting there, pumping away, people
were coming in, and the minute I was
finished, I just put everything down
and she would deal with it. The next
time I worked, I wasn’t the star, so I
had to do it all myself. I was like, “I
really miss Tiffany. This is really hard.”
And no one knows what you’re doing
either. They’re kind of just sitting
outside thinking, “Ugh, she’s taking
so long. This actress is such a diva.”
Another thing from the entertainment
industry I would take is, you just meet
such a wide variety of people all day

long, so many women
have done it differently. My hairdresser on
the last thing I did, she
had 5 children and her
youngest was 14, and I
asked if she needed to be
home for dinner, or will
the older ones take care
of the youngest. You
hear everybody else’s
story of how they made it
work, and you take a little bit from everybody—
and you feel empowered
to be back in the world,
creating something.

environment could be about her. So
there was a lot of sending milk home...

K: You mentioned that
your baby was about 3
months old when you
were filming. Did your
kids get to be on set with
you?
L: My son was 3 at the

K: That’s funny. Your son, Tadius, is now
3 and 1/2. What’s it like raising a boy?
L: It is wild, and full of injury and bru-

time, he came to visit
and he loves that. He just came one
time because he hadn’t really done
a lot of set visits before, and he’s a
little bit of a loose cannon. What are
you gonna say to your 2-year old? “Be
quiet, we’re rolling...”
K: I totally understand because my
2-year old son is all over the place.
L: My son thinks I drive a truck,

basically. He saw all the trucks and
rode up the hydraulic grip thing, he
loves pressing the buttons...But I didn’t
bring the baby to the set because it was
too disruptive for her. A 4-month old
does a lot of napping, and she needed
to be in an environment where the

K: That’s nice to hear. Is your husband
also an actor? How did you meet?
L: No, he’s a producer and director. We

met at a play in the Flea Theater in
New York, and they were doing a production of a Japanese Kabuki Theater.
We met through a friend who brought
him along, and I think she may have
had in mind that we would hit it off.
Neither of us really watched the play,
mostly we watched each other in the
audience kind of, like, trying to eye
each other in the dark and see what
each other looked like.

ises. People will ask, “Where did he
get that bruise?” I’m like, “I don’t even
know which one you’re talking about.”
It’s getting on your knees, playing with
cars in the dirt, yeah. I think raising a
boy is the biggest adventure. It’s high
octane. It really is all about trains,
cars, building sites, and tractors...Oh,
and my son had just entered this stage
where he just wants hugs like every 4
minutes. I think, “Oh my God, I’ve
gotta have him as much as I can now,
because he’ll get to a stage where he’ll
be like, ‘Ugh, stay away mom.’”
K: They say boys are sweeter to their
mothers.
L: You know the funny thing about my

son is that he has a trait I have, which
is not that great—I am a real klutz, a
real spaz. I’ll break my toe on a coffee
table that hasn’t moved in forever, or
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bc report
I’ll bump into a wall or door jamb
that’s always been there. My son is like
that, he can fall down just standing
there. The baby is creeping around on
the floor, and he would fall down. It’s
never boring.

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K: Same here, I’m very clumsy. I was
told you have a huge passion for green
living. How did this come about?
L: I’ve had it ever since I was probably

15, in high school, in a World Issues
class. I was an avid recycler, and I’d say
to my parents, “How many miles per
gallon does that vehicle get?” When
I was 15, I said I’m never getting
a car and I might get a solar car. I
didn’t totally hold to that because I
got a Prius when I was about 25, or
something. I had to buy a car because
I was in LA, and it was pretty hard to
get around. I’ve always been kind of
like a running joke—like if you get
a letter from me, you’d have to wonder what’s on the back of it because
everything I do is on recycled paper. It
comes to me as second nature because
I think about it. It bothers me. Every
time water flows from the tap, I think,
where is this coming from? How are
we so lucky that we have clean water,
and how can I help if we use a drop
more than I should? I’ve always kind
of been like that, even when it wasn’t
really cool, you know? When I was a
teenager, we were aware of stuff like
that and I am concerned about the
teenagers now kind of aren’t. We didn’t
throw things away. When we were in
high school, we didn’t get a throwaway cup. We had water bottles that
we carry. We had metal cans. I’ve
been the person on set, who, if there’s no recycling and I’m on a movie,

I’ll do the recycling. One time, I had
a driver I overheard talking to one
of the other drivers. He was like,
“Ugh, it’s so annoying, my car always
gets so smelly because she carries
recycling.” I’d like to be like Kyra
Sedgwick—she runs a very green
set. She’s the star of the show and she
leaves a box inside the stage for scripts
for you to dump them and she recycles
them. In our business, you can have
vehicles idling as if gas was nothing, as
if emissions weren’t anything. I’ll knock

on the window and I’ll be polite but I’ll
say, “Excuse me, would you mind not
idling your vehicle.” Now if it’s their
job to sit in the car and it’s -30 degrees
Celsius, then you know, I understand
they have to have heat on.
K: So you’ve got two kids, Tadius and
Alma Rose. Do you think it’s possible for
busy mothers to still have that lifestyle?
L: Definitely. I think you just teach the

children. They are such little sponges,
they want to do exactly what we do.

“My son had just entered this stage where he just wants
hugs. He wants hugs, like every 4 minutes he wants a hug. And
I think, ‘Oh my God, I’ve gotta have him as much as I can
now, because he’ll get to a stage where he’ll be like, ugh,
stay away mom.”

—laura, on tadius’ personality as a 3-year old

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laura regan
You say something one time and your
kid will repeat it, pick up on it. You say,
“No this is a recycling bin and when
we have a yogurt container, it goes in
there.” Or whether it’s about
running the water too much.
My son knows, he’s 3 and a
half, and he’ll say, “Yes, mama,
the drought.” Sometimes he
likes to play with the water a
little bit too much, you know?
They wanna behave the way
you behave, so you really just
lead by example. If you do
things and explain to them why
you’re doing it, that’s even better because they’ll understand
that it’s real—they’ll take note,
and they’ll really do it.

some struggles going through the final
stages of toilet training. Just fine on
the peeing, but not so happy about
pooing in the toilet. As an example, I

that she did that! Making a big deal
about it and my son said, “I’m so proud
of that little girl.” And we’re like, is he
ever gonna do it himself? He wants
so much to be an adult. And
then I’ll say, “Tad, when are you
gonna be comfortable using the
toilet all the time?” And he said,
“Oh when I’m Dada’s age I’m
definitely gonna use the toilet.”
Oh, that’s great.
K: Good to know, haha! So adorable. Nowadays, what’s in your
mommy purse?
L: I am terrified. Literally,

crumbs in every crevice—you
can dump the thing upside
down, and you probably have
a meal out of what came out
of it—but it would not be very
clean. There’s always a package
of wipes, you know, for the disaster. A kid-friendly spray hand
sanitizer. I don’t switch purses
very well, so if it’s my purse
I’m using at the moment, the
mommy stuff goes with me. I’m
in an audition trying to find
a highlighter, and I pull out
cookies and crackers and little
toys that vibrate, or a baby teether, something for emergency
starvation, stuck in traffic, and
something for cleaning hands
and dirty faces.

K: Absolutely. Any funny kid stories you care to share?
L: My son the other day said—it

was the day after we did the
photo shoot—he kept saying,
“Smile for the camera.” We had
some bees around that day, and
we were talking about how bees
are in decline—how they are
important because they make
honey and go for the nectar
from the flowers, and so on. He
was watching them do that, and
then he felt something buzzing
around his head and he said,
“Hey bee, there’s no honey in
my eye.” I thought that was just
a funny little comment.
K: So cute!
L: My other

funny one is kinda shameful if my son ever reads this, finds out
that I said it in 20 years. He’s having

just take my daughter the minute she
starts making that face, I pick her up
and even though she’s not walking yet,
I’ll take her and sit her there. Later, I
told my husband that she was so good

K: I love that. Lastly, if there are
three virtues that you want your kids to
have, what would they be?
L: Patience, generosity, and fairness.

That’s what came to mind. The ‘patience’ thing isn’t going so well yet, haha!
bc

Laura’s Fave baby buys:
Laura prefers to shop,
“Joe Fresh, they have
it here [in the US] now.
In Canada, they sell it in
the supermarkets. And
when I visit my parents,
I’ll spend half my time in
Joe Fresh.” Long-sleeved
shirt by joe fresh, $12,
joefresh.com

experts say ADHD is
preventable with improved
breathing
October is ADHD Awareness Month, and physicians offer tips for restoring restful sleep to
the brain for developing children

”

16

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WORDS BY DR. MICHAEL GELB AND DR. HOWARD HINDIN

hat you don’t know
can hurt you,” say
integrated health
specialists Dr. Michael Gelb and
Dr. Howard Hindin. “Ninety percent
of our brains are developed by age 12,
so I’m asking parents to think about
how a recurring decrease in the flow of
b c { anniversary 2014 } bc-mag.com

oxygen and restful sleep to their child’s
brain would affect his development,”
says Dr. Gelb of The Gelb Center in
New York, a holistic dentist known
worldwide for pioneering integrative
treatments.
“Pay close attention to your kid’s
breathing; if he or she is suffering from

a sleep disorder, it may very well be
obstructed breathing, which has been
linked to attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, that’s causing the problem,”
says Dr. Hindin of the Hindin Center for Whole Health Dentistry, who
partners with Dr. Gelb in an interdisciplinary approach to treating chronic
disease.

o v e r c o m i n g o b s ta c l e s

“Medical literature suggests that up to
80 percent of ADHD diagnoses have an
airway/sleep component.”

months, 18 months, and 30 months of age,
doctors can predict which ones are likely
to develop disorders due to poor breathing.

October is the awareness month for ADHD—a non-discriminatory, brain-based
medical disorder affecting people of every
age, gender, IQ, and religious and socioeconomic background. The good news,
Dr. Gelb says, is that many such disorders
are preventable. When children are 6

The doctors say sleeping problems are serious and could very well require medical
consultation. Additionally, they offer athome, do-it-yourself tips for children and
adults to promote better breathing during
sleep, which is when obstruction typically
manifests.

Promote nasal breathing.

Prevent obesity.

Sadly, many people who
suffer from breathing
problems don’t even
realize it’s a problem until
something serious occurs,
such as a car accident.
Obstruction often occurs
in the nasal cavity. An easy
way to experience deeper
sleep and potentially
curtail a developing
problem is by using nasal
spray. Apply the spray 15
minutes before bedtime.

Excessive weight and
obesity are the most
common causes of
sleep apnea—pauses
in breathing or shallow
breaths while sleeping.
Obesity has more than
doubled among children
and tripled among
adolescents in the past
30 years, according to
the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
The best medicine for
prevention is a healthy
diet—fewer processed
foods; less sugar, salt and
fatty snacks; and regular
exercise.

Create an ideal sleeping
environment.

Turn your bedroom into
a sleeper’s paradise with
cozy, high thread-count
sheets, new pillows, soft
lighting, and soothing
noises from a sound
machine. Add to these
aesthetics a couple helpful,
practical tools. If you tend
to grind your teeth when
sleeping, a dental night
guard can help you awake
refreshed and with no
jaw pain. Eyeshades help
people who relax best in
complete darkness.

If these home remedies are not proving effective, it’s time for a doctor to screen a
patient’s tonsils and adenoids, which may be obstructive and need to be removed, Dr.
Gelb says. Then, myofunctional therapy will help assist palatal expansion for better
breathing, he says.
bc

About Howard Hindin, D.D.S.

Dr. Howard Hindin is trained in
all aspects of general dentistry.
Since the 1990s, his practice
has also focused on cosmetic
dentistry, tempormandibular joint
disorders, and craniofacial pain.
He is a graduate of New York
University College of Dentistry.
An acknowledged pioneer in the
relationship between dental issues
and whole body health, Dr. Hindin
is president (2000-present) of the
Foundation for the Advancement
of Innovative Medicine (FAIM).
He is also the co-founder of
the American Association of
Physiological Medicine and
Dentistry (AAPMD).

About Michael Gelb,
D.D.S., M.S.

Dr. Michael Gelb is an innovator
in airway, breathing, sleep,
and painful TMJ disorders
pioneering Airway Centric. He
has studied early intervention
for sleep disordered breathing
(SDB) specializing in how it
relates to fatigue, focus, pain
and the effects all of these can
have on family health. He is the
former director of the TMJ and
Orofacial Pain Program at the
NYU College of Dentistry and is
currently clinical professor in the
Department of Oral Medicine and
Pathology at the NYU College of
Dentistry. He is a co-inventor of
the NORAD, or Nocturnal Oral
Airway Dilator appliance that
reduces snoring by positioning
the patient’s tongue and jaw so
that airways stay open.

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f

le gui de fo

y

e

y
st

“With this kind of
mindset, a girl
is never skinny
enough and often
results in anorexia,
bulimia, and an
imprisoning sense
of never being
good enough.”

how ‘thinspiration’ is
killing the
self-esteem of
young girls
Get familiar with the “skinny”
mindset and how it negatively
affects young women today,
and find out helpful tips on
how our kids can be kept safe
from this new “culture”
w o r ds by S ta c e y R ow c liff e

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c

onventional thinking has
flown out the window
for advertisers who want
to attract women to their
product, according to a
new report from the University of Manitoba and University of Michigan.
The report is based off of three studies
that conclude blatant, in-your-face content featuring thin, young models actually turn off a woman’s desire for the
product; subjects saw the pitch as too
transparent. This recognition alerted an
individual’s defense mechanism, which
actually boosted self-esteem. But when
an idealized model was used to sell a
product with more subtlety, subjects
were more prone to want the product
and be the woman in the advertisement.
“So, this study has some mixed good
news, but there’s still an avalanche of
negativity pulling down our girls and
young women; according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and
Associated Disorders, roughly 70 percent of girls in middle and high school,
and even as young as fifth grade, say idealized images of women in magazines
guide their sense of the perfect body,”
says women’s advocate Stacey Rowcliffe, author of Female Fusion: Different Flowers from the Same Garden.

s i z e m at t e r s

Rowcliffe says the primary influence on a girl’s life is the older woman raising
her; she offers three perspectives in which older women may offer advice to
girls and young women:
Past pains shape character
and provide inner strength:

Many people may think of Christina
Aguilera as a pampered pop diva;
however, in reality, she has worked
hard and endured a difficult home
life as a small child. As a 10-year-old,
she had already gained a reputation
as a little girl with a big voice. Later,
after having become a world-famous
celebrity, she cited domestic violence
in her home as a reason for her enduring drive and passionate voice. Just as
muscle is developed and built with
tension, so too challenging situations
builds and defines character.
Keeping it real …

Young women need to understand that
much of what is seen on television and
internet ads, billboards, and in magazines has been altered far beyond what
is real. Digital imaging has made it
possible to remove cellulite and other flaws before an image is finalized.
There are videos available that show
just how much a model is transformed
before being photographed, and the

before-and-after images are drastically different. Additionally, cosmetic
surgery plays upon the fears of young
and beautiful women who still feel
the need to implement botox, breast
implants, facelifts, nose lifts, cellulite
removal, tummy tucks, butt implants
and the like. Women were created to
be beautiful; once that is realized, her
inner beauty will shine.
Relationships (among family,
friends, boyfriends & sisters):

Every issue, belief, attitude, or
assumption not only shapes the
relationships between you and
other human beings; it shapes the
relationship you have with yourself!
The above points—accepting past
pain and being honest with yourself
and others—are intimately linked to
your relationship with others. How
you treat others is a measure of who
you are. If you are obsessed with trying
to be the prettiest and thinnest girl
in class, it’s a clear sign you are not
comfortable in your own skin.

“There’s even a blog called ‘thinspiration,’ or ‘thinspo,’ which features young
women and girls writing about ways and
experiences in losing massive amounts
of weight. With this kind of mindset, a
girl is never skinny enough and often
results in anorexia, bulimia, and an
imprisoning sense of never being good
enough.”
bc

About Stacey Rowcliffe
Stacey Rowcliffe is nearing completion of
her master’s degree in clinical psychology.
She lives in Billings, Mont., with her two
children, Brittney and Ryan, who both
have Type 1 diabetes. Female Fusion is her
second published book. Rowcliffe believes
that no matter what people are battling,
their mindset and response determine the
paths their lives take.

bc-mag.com { anniversary 2014 } b c

19

bc
lifestyle
s

d

om

est

u
ic iss

e

how clean is
too clean?
We all know and agree that a clean environment
is beneficial to our health. But where do we draw
the line between being just the right kind of
clean to over-sanitation?

t

he hygiene hypothesis is a medical theory that posits that lack of exposure to dirt, germs, and other
microorganisms makes you more susceptible to
allergies and other diseases. Just as a vaccination
makes you immune from future diseases by introducing you to weakened strains of the disease, being
exposed to pathogens can also strengthen your immune

20

b c { anniversary 2014 } bc-mag.com

system.
But for mothers, exposing our children to dirt and grime
goes against our instinct of protecting young ones from
harm, especially with todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heightened levels of air and
environmental pollution in and outside our very own
homes. So how clean is too clean even for kids?

Everywhere we go, we now encounter
dispensers of sanitizers, reminders for us
to wash our hands, and mini alcohol gel
bottles hanging from everyone’s bags.
While the risk of infection diseases
is high, studies have shown that the
cleanest kids have the highest risk of
eczema and asthma. Moreover, a study
done at University Hospital’s Case
Medical Center in Cleveland showed
that among 60 health care workers
who washed their hands 10 times a
day, 63% of them developed hand
dermatitis, a condition in which one’s
hands develops dry and irritated skin,
itchy bumps, blisters, scaling, cracking,
and swelling skin. To avoid this, one
must avoid irritants such as soaps
with irritating ingredients, detergents,
solvents, paints, oils, acids, and glues.
Use mild soap for yourself and your
family and apply moisturizing cream to
your hands. Use gloves when handling
raw food, acidic fruits and vegetables,

and while doing manual labor such as
cleaning the house or gardening.
Exclusively indoor culture.

The internet, gadgets, and hovering
parents mean that fewer kids play
outside than they did 10 years ago.
Outdoor kids aged three and below
consume an average of 500 mg of soil
a day, and despite its myriad bacteria,
regular dirt is harmless and can even
benefit kids’ immune systems. In
addition, nature deficit disorder (a term
coined by author Richard Louv), has
negative health effects, such as a higher
risk of obesity, cancer, heart disease,
anxiety, and depression. Kids who stay
indoors too often and do not get a taste
of nature and sunlight are prone to
Vitamin D deficiency and breathing
problems, due to lack of fresh air.
Hypersterile environments.

Aside from obsessively washing hands
and staying indoors most of the time,

children may not be as exposed to
allergens when their environment
is hospital-like and sprayed with
antiseptic every hour.
Skin and food allergies have risen
steadily in the last 14 years in
developed countries, where kids’
environments are generally cleaner.
LiveScience reports that according to
pediatric allergist Marc McMorris of
the University of Michigan Health
System, “We’ve developed a cleanlier
lifestyle, and our bodies no longer
need to fight germs as much as they
did in the past. As a result, the immune
system has shifted away from fighting
infection to developing more allergic
tendencies.” He further explains that
because of our cleaner environment
now, our natural immune system isn’t
as proactive as it once was, because
we’ve already taken extra precaution
in keeping ourselves and our kids
germ-free.

W

hen it comes to drinking water for our families and especially for our babies’ formula milk (if you’ve weaned your
child), choose a brand that is approved by certifying bodies such as the National Sanitation Foundation, thereby
meeting standards of safety and cleanliness that mothers would approve of. Make sure that your water bottles, containers, glasses, and refrigerators are also frequently cleaned to keep germs away from water and food.
While we want to keep our homes and environment clean for our family, we mustn’t forget though, to let our kids be kids and
play outdoors, discover, learn, and have fun—and worry about cleaning up afterwards.
bc

“While we want
to keep our
homes and
environment
clean for
our family, we
mustn’t forget
though, to let
our kids be
kids and play
outdoors,
discover, learn,
and have fun—
and worry
about cleaning
up afterwards.”
bc-mag.com { anniversary 2014 } b c

pumpkin surprize
These little goody bags can serve as
party snacks or take home treats for
your kids and guests.
Materials
assorted candy and chocolate (Note:
individually-wrapped is best)
orange and green crepe paper
glue
scissors

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut your orange crepe paper into circles around 10 inches in diameter. Cut the short
end of your crepe paper 1 cm thick. This will create a string of green crepe paper. 2.
Take half a handful of assorted candy or chocolate (around 5 to 7 pieces, depending on
the size) and wrap it with white Japanese paper. Roll it gently in your hands to create a
circular shape. 3. Place this on top of 2 orange crepe papers (cut into circles). Take the
edges of the crepe paper to form a tiny circular bag. 4. Twist the ends of the crepe paper
until it looks like a pumpkin. Take some glue on one finger and spread it on the base of
the twist, up to the tip. 5. Take your green crepe paper and wrap it around the twist, from
the base upward, until the orange crepe paper cannot be seen. Fasten with more glue.
Monster pizza
Perfect for the Halloween season, deep red tomatoes are nutritious
fruits that are packed with anti-oxidants such as lycopene, zeaxanthin, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Not bad for a basic kitchen staple.
Ingredients
pizza dough
pizza sauce
cheese slices
arugula

have to do is put together the ingredients. But if you have your
own dough and sauce recipe, go on and make your own. 2.
Once the dough has risen, dampen it with olive oil before heating in a pre-heated oven for a minute or two. Bring the crust
back out and season with your pizza sauce. You can make your
own homemade pizza sauce with your favorite herbs and spices,
itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really up to you to get creative with this dish. 3. Take your
cheese singles and cut them out into shapes using your cookie
cutters. We used shapes such as a ghost, owl, cat, and moon for
this Halloween-themed recipe. Place your shapes on the pizza.
4. Take a caper and slice it into two for the eyes of the ghost,
owl, cat, and moon. Dress your pizza with some aragula leaves
or any other herbs and toppings you desire.

Worms and Skeletons in Dirt
(with shovel)
Freak out your guests with these
super cute dessert cups that take at
most 10 minutes to make.

1. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or in a small
stovetop pan for about a minute, or until it’s soft and easy to
pour. 2. Take your skeleton mold (available online or at specialty stores like Gourdo’s) and pour in the chocolate. Keep
chilled until the chocolate hardens 3. Take your plastic cups
and fill half of it with chocolate milk drink powder. Toss in
your gummi worms for a set of Worms in Dirt. 4. Carefully
detach the chocolate from the skeleton mold and toss into
the cups with chocolate milk drink powder for your Skeleton
in Dirt. Toss in a wooden spoon (available in supermarkets)
for the ‘shovel.’

1. Create squares (around 8 inches by 8 inches) out of
your black and orange cartolina. You can also use Halloween themed wrapping paper for this. 2. Twist one
corner to create a cone and fasten with tape. 3. Cook
the corn kernels in a pot with a little oil and wait til
they pop. You can also use microwavable popcorn. 4.
Scoop into each cone and add a dash of salt to taste,
and top with cheese flavoring.

bc-mag.com { anniversary 2014 } b c

25

bc
delicious
d.i.y.

Eerie Earwax

Ingredients

Don’t get grossed out just
yet, these ear buds are
sweet and tasty, and your
kids will love the ‘eww’
factor that goes into creating
them.

Gooey Gauze
Your guests are in for a bloody
surprise with these “used bandages”
that are as gross as they are yummy.

Preparation

1. Using a pair of scissors, take your juice straws and cut them into two.
If it’s hard to stick straw into a marshmallow, poke with a fork first. 2.
Take two marshmallows and stick them at the end of each juice straw to
create an “ear bud.” 3. Dab a little cookie or peanut butter on both ends
of the “ear bud” for makeshift earwax, and place on a plate.

1. Break your graham crackers into three (right on the perforated part
of the cracker). Lay them out on a tin pan to create a creepy hospital
effect. 2. Take your cream cheese and slice them into squares around
2cm by 2cm. Place a square on the middle of each cut up graham
cracker. 3. Dab a little strawberry jam on top of the cream cheese slice
for some “blood.”

1. Melt white and milk chocolate separately as indicated in previous instructions. Mix orange food
coloring into melted white chocolate. 2. Place the
lollipop sticks or juice straws into the mold. Pour
in your chocolate and refrigerate until solid.

broomsticks
Get your little witches ready for take off with these
sweet, salty, and magical broomsticks that your kids
can help you make in advance.
INGREDIENTS
pretzel sticks
chocolate cups
juice straw
Preparation

1. Upturn your chocolate cups. Using a juice
straw, create a small hole on the bottom. 2. Stick
your pretzels into the hole and make sure they
don’t come off. You can cut off some of the sticks
to make them look like smaller brooms.

deadly apples
You don’t have to be Snow White to
fall for these delicious red “apples.”
Ingredients
red gelatin
vanilla or fruit

flavoring
apple-shaped

cookie cutter

Preparation

1. Cook gelatin as indicated in the packaging and
add flavor as desired. Pour into a shallow plastic
container. Let sit until solid. 2. Using an appleshaped cookie cutter, create apple shapes and
carefully layout on a chopping board or plate.

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F while lining and buttering
the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans. 2. In a large bowl, mix
together the flour, cocoa, sugars, baking powder, baking
soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs
and vanilla until blended well. 3. In another mixing bowl,
beat together the melted butter and coconut oil using an
electric mixer. If by hand, do the same strokes over and
over. Beat in the water. 4. Add the dry ingredients all at
once and with mix together, using slow speed. Add in the
egg mixture and blend again until well-combined. Once
done, pour the mixture into the prepared tins. 5. Bake the
cakes for 45 to 50 minutes, or until you stick a toothpick in
and it comes out clean. Take them out of the oven and let
sit for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Turn the cakes out on the
rack to cool completely.
Fudge icing:

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for two to three
minutes on medium heat. Or for a ‘healthier’ approach,
melt chocolate in a bowl placed on top of a pan with about
1/2 inch of simmering water. If you’re using chocolate
blocks, it’s recommended that you chop it up into pieces
and heat it in the microwave on low for about a minute. Let
cool slightly. 2. In a separate bowl, beat the butter using a
mixer until soft and creamy. Add the sifted confectioner’s
sugar and beat again until mixture is light and fluffy. Slowly
add the vanilla and chocolate, and mix together until everything is glossy and smooth. 3. Take 1/3 of the icing and use
it to sandwich the middle of the cake. Ice the top and sides
using the rest of the icing, with a rubber spatula.

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BAT water
Those of you who have a penchant for flavored water will
enjoy this easy-to-do and creeptastic refreshment.
Ingredients
glasses or mugs
black straws
bat-shaped mold

red gelatin (purple is
another great option)

Preparation

1. Cook gelatin as indicated on the packaging and
pour into the bat mold. 2. Let sit until solid. Drop
4-5 pieces of bats into your glass or mug. 3. Take one
bat and let sit on the rim of the glass or mug, like you
would with a slice of lemon.
KOOKY CUPS WITH VAMPIREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S POISON
Create a spooky drink by preparing your favorite
red-colored juice drink and add a scary touch to
your party cups using googly eyes.
MATERIALS
white colored paper cups
colored pens (black and red are usually
available at home, but you can go all out and
be as creative as you can and create your own
little critters)
googly eyes
glue
Preparation

1. Bake your salted caramel cupcakes according to your go-to recipe. You can
also opt to order from your favorite bakery, to save you time. 2. For the Galacticupcakes, just take your alien cupcake decors and stick them on top of each
cupcake. 3. For Beheaded, melt your white chocolate on a stovetop pan or in
the microwave for about 50 seconds to 1 minute. 4. Immediately mix in the red
or green food coloring. Note that some chocolate brands tend to stiffen more
rapidly when food coloring is added, so make sure to mix quickly and pour into
the skull mold as soon as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re done mixing in the color. 5. Let sit in the chiller
for around 30 minutes or until chocolate is solid and comes off the mold easily.
6. Place the skull head on top of your cupcake and serve.

bc-mag.com { anniversary 2014 } b c

29

HALLOWEEN PLAYLIST
No party is complete without music, so turn up the
speakers and check out our favorites for the season.

The Southerner, former
Mouseketeer and girl band
member, and MTV top-rating
show co-star is most excited
for her role of a lifetime:
mother to Hudson. Nikki
Deloach is feeling everything
but ‘awkward’ when it comes
to raising and caring for her
adorable, blond and blueeyed darling
P H OTO G R A P H S B Y A DA M A N D S Y LV I A
HENDERSHOTT
INTERVIEW B Y K A R I Z T A N Y A F A V I S
M A K EU P B Y A KE M I Y A G I
H A IR B Y J O V A N T O W N S E N D

t’s hard to ignore Nikki
DeLoach as her character
“Lacey” in MTV’s phenomenal
teen dramedy, Awkward, not
just because of the miracles
brought on by her amazing push-up
bras on the show, but more so because
of her spot-on acting. Nikki plays a
young mother to an only child on the
show—she was a former popular girl
who got pregnant in high school by

the man she later on married. In the
first season of the show, much is played
up on the relationship of her character
and of the lead’s (her daughter), Jenna
(actress Ashley Rickards), because
she wrote a horrible, anonymous
note of advice from ‘a friend’ to her
daughter about the latter’s seeming
insignificance—the message may be
summed up to one of the letter’s lines:
“As you are now, you could disappear

and no one would notice.” Their
dynamic tugs on the heartstrings of
many well-intentioned parents who
tend to do more damage than good,
unknowingly. We ask Nikki about how
she’s similar to her character, how it
was like feeling overtaken by her former
Mouseketeers, leaving home at 12,
being like a sister to Justin Timberlake,
meeting husband, Ryan, and being
mom to gorgeous little Hudson.
anniversary 2014
bc-mag.com

33

Kariz: You are great on the show, I just
have to say. You made me believe that
you are actually Lacey.
Nikki: That means so much to me!

Thank you so much.

K: Absolutely great. So how was it like
growing up in Georgia? I heard you are
the eldest of three.
N: Yes, I am the eldest of three, and my

sister and I were about 3 and 1/2 years
apart, so it was really nice because I had
a friend for life. I really couldn’t have
asked for a better upbringing. We live
on a farm and there’s so much space,
and you could be out ‘til dark and our
parents didn’t have to worry. All the kids
around you could play with, and we’d
play basketball everyday. I have a son
now and he’s 7 months old, and I yearn
to be able to give him something similar
to what I had, but I don’t know if I can
do that in Los Angeles.

K: You had the whole shebang, farm animals, everything? I love that.
N: Yeah, I rode horses. In the summers,

34

anniversary2014
bc-mag.com

we’d pick corn, green beans, and grow
all of our vegetables for the year. All of
our meat came from our animals on
the farm.
K: You were organic from the get-go. How
were your parents like?
N: I was organic from the start. My

mother was a teacher but she also was a
domestic instructor, a cheerleader sponsor. She always had a million balls in the
air. She was very determined, an incredibly gifted educator. And now, she’s
the superintendent of the school system.
She was really hard on me, but what I
now understand as an adult, especially
as a mother, is that you want the absolute best for your kids.

K: Absolutely.
N: As a child,

I interpreted her behavior as I just wasn’t good enough and
I could never be enough for her, or
validated, or be accepted by her. Now, I
understand that it was her teaching me
self-discipline, and me understanding
that I could do anything that I wanted to

do in life. It didn’t matter if I was a girl
or a boy, or how young or old. She also
helped to instill in me a really strong
work ethic. I look back and think, wow,
I’m really grateful for her. Some people
say you choose your parents, and my
mom and I have gone through definitely
a difficult journey in our lives trying to
understand each other—my trying to
understand her baggage and her life,
and her trying to understand my own
because I left home when I was 12 years
old to go work, and I haven’t lived at
home since then. This amazing thing
happened on my way to giving birth to
Hudson where at the time, I thought it
was just a work thing. I was 2 weeks late,
I’ve been having contractions and my
mom said, “I’m hopping on a plane and
you’re gonna give birth too, and I just
don’t wanna miss it.” She hopped on a
plane and sure enough, I did not give
birth. It was a week that went by before
I gave birth at the hospital. By then, I
was already a week late and everyday we
walked, talked, and ate. I never really
had that time with her. I got to hear

“...we just healed our relationship in such a beautiful way
and I am so glad I chose her as my mother. She was a perfect mother for me and my dad was always that rock,
you know. My dad was always the one who took us to
school every morning. And he even tried to do my hair.”
—Nikki, on her relationship with her parents
about how motherhood was for her at
21 years old when she first had a kid.
We just healed our relationship in such
a beautiful way, and I am so glad I chose
her as my mother. My dad was always
that rock, the one who took us to school
every morning. He even tried to do my
hair—but I can’t go to school with seven
ponytails. (Laughs) He was also really
hard on me in some way, and he was
athletic. He coached me at basketball
and softball. I was the firstborn, so I was
the boy and the girl.
K: For 3 and 1/2 years, it was all you.
N: It was all me. But he just had

this
loving kindness that, to this day, when
I would get in trouble, he would be
the one to sit down with me and talk
it through with me. I always felt his
warmth, love, and support. Man, I can’t
tell you what it’s like growing up with
a father like that as a girl. You look at
other men with such confidence, like,
I don’t have to take something that I
don’t deserve because I know what a
real man is.

K: Exactly. He set the bar high.
N: He woke up with us—all three kids—

every night to give us our bottle, he
changed the diapers, cooked, took us
to school, took me to dance and voice
lessons. He would drive 2 hours one
way, 2 hours back, and get up at 5 AM to
go to work. He was superdad. I warned
my husband in the beginning, I said,
“Listen—”

K: You got big shoes to fill.
N: Yeah, you got big shoes to fill because

I had superdad, you know...

K: Your mom was 21 when she had you,
and your father was how old?
N: My father was 24. I’m 34, and I just

had my first kid. I know it was a different

time, but to have your first kid at 21 years
old? It’s something that’s so difficult for
me to wrap my head around.
K: You said you left home at 12 to move
to Orlando to work in the Mickey Mouse
Club alongside some of the biggest
names in today’s entertainment scene.
How was that like?
N: It was a dream come true. Just to be

able to be part of the show, and what the
show represents is iconic. To be able to
be part of its legacy is an honor and truly
a blessing, and I could not have asked
to have better castmates. The seven of
us, we were family from day one—and
to be surrounded by so much talent and
everyday be inspired by them? Seeing
Christina Aguilera at 12 years old sing—
just blew my mind. It rocked my world,
it was like there was some singing music
box. A lot of us have come from these
small towns where, from the time when
we were kids, this is what we had wanted to do and it’s all we’ve dreamed of.
It never ever seemed like a job—it was
playtime and it was fun, and so just
seeing yourself in someone else’s eyes
and to finally go, “Oh, I understand you.
I know who you are because I am you.” I
felt like I had finally found this home—a
home I never knew existed before—so it
was really a wonderful time in my life,
and to this day, some of the best years
of my life.

K: Is it true that you still keep in touch
with Justin Timberlake?
N: Yeah, I also touch base with T.J.

Fantini, who’s another cast member. But
Justin and I, from day one, we hit it off
as friends and he’s a great guy. Let’s talk
about how amazingly talented he is—
he’a genius. But in terms of as a person,
I loved his whole family.

K: You lived with them, right?

Actually, his mother wanted to put
together a girl group when Justin was
in ‘NSYNC, so we kinda put our heads
together and ended up with five girls.
She was like a second mom to me for a
really long time—still is. She’ll still tell
me you know—pardon my language—if
my shit stinks. Or if I need to get it together, if I’m doing a really good job, and
she’s proud of me. I appreciate that.

N:

K: You have two mothers, that’s great. In
line with the whole Mousketeer-ing, you
mentioned in another interview that you
felt somewhat bypassed that all of them
were blowing up with their careers...
N: I felt left behind for sure, and a part

of me felt that, well, this is it for me.
It’s really weird when you grow up in
this industry all your life, and you learn
very quickly the culture of this industry
that—
K: It’s very fleeting.
N: And you are validated by how famous

or what your last project was, or what
your next project is. All of these friends
of mine had gone on to become some of
the biggest stars in the world. (Laughs) I
think that only exacerbated the feeling
that I’m not really good enough and I’m
not worthy—and that they have what
it takes and I don’t and somebody sees
something special in them, and they
don’t see it in me. It took me a really
long time to understand that my journey
is just as precious and special. I am so
grateful for those times when I felt like
a failure, and everything felt hard and I
had to start all over again, and again, and
again, because I’m so thankful for work.
There’s not a day that goes by when I’m
in Awkward that I’m not grateful to be
able to be a part of it. I also now understand that I can stand on my own two
feet and this business will never validate
me—it never will be what truly brings

“I think that only exacerbated the feeling of I’m not really good enough and I’m not worthy and if they have
what it takes and I don’t, and somebody sees something
special in them and they don’t see it in me. And it took
me a really, really long time to understand that my
journey is just as precious and it’s just as special.”
—nikki, on the struggles of hollywood after her
career as a mouseketeer

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me joy. It may bring me happiness, but
joy, that feeling, that thing that exists
inside of you no matter what the exterior
circumstances are—this business will
never bring me that.
K: It must have just been so hard at that
stage, as a teenager, with all those hormones, those crazy feelings.
N: Yeah, it was awful. I remember being

in L.A. with my Nana, and sometimes
just locking myself in the bathroom and
sitting in the tub—no water, no nothing,
just with my clothes on and crying and
feeling like, what am I gonna do? What
am I doing wrong? And I had to pay my
rent and get a job if I wanna keep doing
what I love, so it was really hard.
K: Did you ever go through schooling, up
to college, or you went a different route?
N: I did, actually. College was very impor-

tant to me—my mom was an educator.
Somebody asked me the other day when
I feel the sexiest, and for me, it was when
I feel educated. I went to the University
of Nebraska, which has an on-location
program. I had a tutor, essentially a
point person, and they would send all
my tests and materials through him. He
would send them back to school, and I
actually graduated two years early, with
all straight A’s. I had a graduation ceremony with Lance Bass from ‘NSYNC, it
was just the two of us. It was really special because you miss a lot of normalcy
growing up in this business and it was
just a sliver of a ‘normal’ that we got to
have the cap and the gown. Our families
and friends were there.
K: Smallest graduating class ever.
N: I know, and it was so great and

after
that, I went into the music business
until I moved out to L.A. at 22. We
were signed to Lou Pearlman, who also
launched ‘NSYNC and Backstreet Boys,
and he’s now in jail because of his really
unfortunate business practices. ‘NSYNC
left him, a lot of groups left him, and
record companies didn’t wanna deal
with him and essentially, our group lost
our recording contract from RCA. Lou
said, “I’ll release you, just sign this agreement. You can make me a fifth member

of your band--” which is what he had
done with all the other people, “I’ll continue to help you.” At that point in time
I was like, “Over my dead body.” Either
way, I was done with him. I was in such a
dark place at that point, so disillusioned
that I just decided, if I get don’t get out of
here, I’m gonna die here spiritually. So I
moved out to L.A. with my boyfriend at
the time, who’s now my husband.
K: That’s so sweet.
N: I had over a year and a half left in my

recording contract and I decided to go
to community college, put my feet on
the ground, and figure my shit out. I
was kinda spinning, and I went to Santa
Monica Community College, and I got
the first two years of my college degree
under my belt. It was the greatest thing
in the world that I could’ve done. I
mean, talk about bringing your confidence back.

K: Absolutely.
N: It just made

me feel like there’s a
lot more going on in this world than
the music group, this thing, you know.
I was so engrossed in sociology and
psychology. About 5 days after
my music contract officially
ended, I went on my first real
audition since I’ve been out
there for a network pilot. I
was like, “Listen this is my
first audition, really back in
the game after my contract
ended.” And 2 days later, I was
in Hawaii filming a pilot.

in that group, Innosense? I think I saw
you in Vegas,” or “Weren’t you in the
Mickey Mouse Club?” Things like that.
And they would be like, “What are you
doing here?”
K: We were told by your publicist that you
are one of the kindest people she knows.
I see it. How do you stay humble in this
industry, as you’re in a hit show and all
that? Do you think it has a lot to do with
what you went through?
N: It’s so nice that you said that, first

of all, just so sweet. I will thank her. It
has everything to do with what I went
through. My mother would tell me
everyday, “Pretty is as pretty does.” I grew
up knowing that it doesn’t matter what
you look like on the outside, it’s who
you are on the inside that matters. I’ve
made so many mistakes and done things
that I was like, “Oh, Nikki why did you
do or say that?” But you rebound from
those and you say, “I’m gonna do better
next time.” I could’ve gone the other
way, been that jaded person that’s like,
“Hey, now it’s my turn...” Everyday you
wake up with a choice. I’ve been with
my husband for 14 years, and people ask

K: Wow. (Laughs)
N: Yeah, you

just need to
take the time and the universe
will be there whenever you get
back on your feet.
K: Did you have any ‘awkward’
college experiences?
N: Being recognized. (Laughs)

Going to community college,
and being broke as a joke. Not
being able to afford groceries
and being this 23-year old in
community college, and then
getting noticed like, “Were you

anniversary 2014
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37

how that happened.
K: Especially in your industry.
N: I wake up next to him every day. I look

at him and I say, “I choose you, you’re
my guy.”

K: Very powerful words.
N: You could choose

happiness, you
could choose to be jaded, or grateful.
I just wanna be a person who lives my
life with a lot of joy, and I can’t do that
if I wake up everyday and choose anger,
resentment, or frustration.

K: Not gonna happen.
N: Then he called back and he was like,

they realized they’ve seen you before,
they know how young you are. So I read
the pilot, and it was literally the best
pilot I have read in years. It was such a
different voice.

K: It’s so well-written.
N: It had this perfect

mixture of humor
and heart, and I just thought, I just want
5 minutes in a room to play this person
because there was something inside of
me that can bring Lacey to life because

K: You’re so blessed. Now you
have a baby boy—so much
things going on for you. Let’s
talk about Awkward for a bit.
Can you describe your character in three words? And
how you got the role in the first
place.
N:
Well-intentioned…I’m

trying to figure out a word for
lack of a skill set? (Laughs)
K: (Laughs) Sometimes inappropriate. So funny.
N: Well-intentioned, bright,

K: (Laughs) She is!

K: I love how you put that.
N: I was not in one of those agencies, but

I had this really “go get ‘em” agent and
he just kept pushing me to read the pilot,
and go in on the audition. I kept saying
to him, “Joey, I’ve gone in on auditions
for mothers all season long, and I keep
getting told I’m too young.” And then to
play a mom of a freshman? Like, this is
a no. No, no, no.

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I think there are things you think you’ll
never do, and there are things you think
you always do. I’ve learned to never say
never, and never say always. Except with
Hudson, because I will always love him,
but I think that the reason that Lacey
and her relationship with Jenna is so
compelling is because it’s so universal.
We heighten the situation because it’s
comedy and it’s TV, but every mother
knows what it feels like to do something
with the best of intentions and have it go
horribly awry, interpreted by
your child in such a different
way than what you thought it
would be. I would like to think
that by the time Hudson is a
freshman in high school and
he’s going through something
like this, I will be really quick
to handle it, instead of giving
him a confrontation. I’m sure
that I will muck it up some
other way, and I’ll have to ask
for forgiveness.
K: After that letter, your
husband on the show almost
left you for good. In real life, if
your spouse had committed
something so hurtful to your
kid, do you think you’d leave or
stick it out?
N: There’s another thing where

and shiny.

They had been looking for an
actress for this role for quite
some time, and as what usually happens in the business,
they go through all the names
first and then they go through
all the people that are at the
top agencies. CAA, UCA—
and then they start reaching out to
everyone else.

you felt like he was not adapting?
N: Here’s the thing about motherhood:

she’s so different from me. If I can bring
her to life, I can do anything. I just loved
her, and I guess a lot of other actors saw
her as being this really cold, kind of
bitchy mom. She had a kid at 16 years
old, what do you expect? The creator,
Lauren Iungerich, just looked at me
and was like, “Oh my God, you’re her.” I
tested for it and eventually, I got it.
K: In the first season, Lacey wrote this
awful and heartbreaking letter to Jenna
about coming out of her shell. Would you
ever do the same to your son, Hudson, if

you say never and always. You
never know in life and I’ve
never been that person who,
when people ask me about
my marriage, it’s like, “Oh
yeah, we’re gonna be together for the
rest of our lives.” I sure hope so. He is
the best. I wouldn’t know what to do
without him. But you never know what
life is gonna give you. In terms of him
doing something that hurt Hudson, that
definitely would have to be dependent
on the situation.
K: Let’s talk about your husband, Ryan. Is
it true that he was formerly from the band
Take Five before he became an entertainment lawyer?
N: That is very true. I was lucky. I got the

musician spirit.

“I’ve learned to never say never,
and never say always. Except
with Hudson, because I will
always love him”

K: So how did you two meet, and was it love
at first sight? (Laughs)
N: (Laughs) I was in a place where I defi-

nitely was not looking for a boyfriend or a
relationship. I got out of a long-term relationship—

K: This was with JC Chasez right? For five
years?
N: Yes. I was not looking for anything serious

whatsoever, and I could tell Ryan was the
guy you settle down with. He’s the guy you
get serious with. There was this part of me
that was like, “Oh my gosh, I have to pursue
this and see where this goes because he’s so
kind and such a good person.” I promised
myself I would only look for the nicest guy
from there on—the ones that know how to
treat a girl. And he was that guy.

K: You both had your musical careers at that
time, right?
N: Yeah, we were so young and he was on

tour, and I was on tour—I was having so
much fun being a girl with other girls. I just
did not want anything serious at all, so it
wasn’t love at first sight because I was being
crowded by—

K: All the noise.
N: All the noise, and my own personal needs

that I wanted at that time in my life. We
dated and about 4 months into it, he was
just kinda like, “Listen, why don’t you go do
your thing and if we are ready to pursue this
in a more serious way, then give me a call.”
He did that very adult thing—and he’s a year
younger than me so I was like—
K: Wow.
N: Here

is a 19-year old kid that’s doing this
adult responsible thing. So I went away and
months went on and the more I thought
about it, I felt like, “What am I doing?”

K: You met him through friends?
N: I met him when he was in

the group

Nikki: Top and shorts, both by TORY BURCH,
toryburch.com . Nude backstrap heels

it said—
K: Here’s your future.
N: Yeah, “Will you marry me?”
K: That is so sweet.
N: And he then pulled the ring out.
K: That is the sweetest. Fast forward to
your pregnancy. Were there any difficulties, funny experiences, odd cravings?
N: I was sick for the first 5 months—all

day. In the first trimester, you’re just so
exhausted. That first wave of tiredness
hits you, and it’s like I’ve never felt tired
like that before. I was really sick, and
also I was working on Awkward and
my husband and I decided not to tell
anyone until almost my 5th month. So
for those first 3 months, I was on set
working sick as a dog, and going back to
my trailer. There were moments in the
middle of the scene where I was like,
this is disgusting, but I would puke in
my mouth.

K: (Laughs) I think we’ve all done that.
N: I got to figure out how to swallow

before I say my next line.

Take Five. He was also signed to Lou
Pearlman, so he lived in Orlando and
you know when you’re down there, we
all interacted.
K: How long were you together before he
proposed, and how did he pop the question?
N: (Laughs) We were together for 10

years. We had a really good friend who
was kinda like a mom to both of us.
She has known me for a very long time
and she said to Ryan, “Right now you
can’t really push Nikki. You need to try
to be her friend and hang out with her.
If you push her, she’s gonna run away.”
He just said, “Well, what if I just came
over and brought over some Chinese
food?” We just sat, had a drink, and

40

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chilled. I was like, I think that sounds
doable. So he brought over Chinese
food, a bottle of wine, and one rose.
We ate, talked for hours, and when he
proposed, he had the same red roses
and there were candles all around the
apartment. I was like, “What is going
on?” That’s not what we discussed—
K: (Laughs) That’s not what was discussed in the package.
N: Exactly! I knew something was up,

it was just too romantic. I was thinking,
“What is going on?” And he was saying,
“Nothing, I just want to have a nice,
romantic dinner.” We finished our dinner, and he didn’t eat a thing because
he was so nervous. Finally at the end of
it, he gave me this fortune cookie, and

it

K: That’s hilarious. And how do you stay
a hot momma? You are so fit and you just
gave birth. It’s not fair.
N: I was very, very, very lucky with this.

I’m a horrible eater—I’ll eat a kale
salad if it’s in front of me and if it’s easy
to get to, but if it’s not, I’m gonna get
something that’s easy and it might be
chicken nuggets. I have to work on that
because I want my son to have healthy
eating habits. I think a lot of it had to
do with the fact that I was very much in
shape before I got pregnant. As soon as
I felt good enough to be upright, I put
him in the stroller and started walking
around. If I can get home and there’s an
hour of daylight I put him in the stroller
and go for a walk, and we just stroll. It’s
good for the mind and body.

K: Most memorable experiences so far with
Hudson. Everyday, right?
N: Everyday, and I have this specific one when he

was just born. He has colic and when you are on
a 3 to 6 week baby bender where the baby with
colic cries all day long, you’re beyond yourself.
It was in the middle of the night and I was breastfeeding him, and I was just sobbing. I was so
tired and overwhelmed. After I finished feeding
him, I was holding him for a second upright, for at
least 20 to 30 minutes afterwards. He just grinned
from ear to ear, it was the first time he smiled. I
just remembered my heart melting, and at that
moment I didn’t remember the last 3 weeks and
how tired and overwhelmed I was. I went on that
high through the next couple of weeks.

K: Did you plan to have a baby? What was your
reaction when you found out you were expecting?
N: It’s so strange, the whole journey, because I was

always kind of on the fence about having babies.
And then my sister had her babies and I fell in
love with my nieces, and it of course softened me
to the idea. All of a sudden, one day I was like, I’m
ready for a baby. I could feel this little spirit wanting to be born. It sounds so weird, but I could feel
his energy. I knew it was a boy, I knew he wanted
to be born in January. I said to my husband, let’s
start trying in January. Of course the practical me
said, listen, it could take a while. A lot of my friends are having a hard time, but I think we should
start trying. I’m old enough, and right out of the
gate, I got pregnant. I mean the very first time.

K: He’s really for you. He was heaven sent.
N: Exactly, I knew that I could feel it and

he was
ready but I didn’t know it would be the first time,
and, so when I took that pregnancy test I really
wasn’t that shocked. Now, my husband was so
shocked. He kind of just gave me a little pat on
the back and went and crawled into bed. I sat on
the couch and got angry, like, that’s it? I go and sit
in the back and say, “I just told you that I’m pregnant.” And he was like, “I know babe, I know.”

K: That’s a lot to take in.
N: Yeah, and he was shocked

actually for the next
5 months, I would say. And then about month 6
he really started coming around. (Laughs)

K: It’s so funny how men react so differently. I know
it’s very early but what scares you the most about
having a son? Like, the bullying, fighting...
N: I would say not being able to understand his

I was always kind of on the fence about having babies.
And then my sister had her babies and I fell in love with
my nieces and it of course softened me to the idea. And
then all of a sudden one day I was like, I’m ready for
it, yeah, I’m ready for a baby. And I could feel this like, I
don’t know, this little spirit like, wanting to be born.”
—nikki, on starting a family and having children

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if your daughter is having boy trouble
having her period, or is insecure or whatever it maybe—I can lock into that
because I know where she’s coming from.
K: It’s just different with a boy.
N: I wanna feel locked in to that.

I know
I won’t be able to in the way that my
husband will. But I want to be able to
kind of lock into that with him and really,
really be able to understand him. And
I also think sometimes boys could be
so daring and wild, and sometimes not
think about the consequences of their
actions. That also scares me.

blanket…they have so many uses. 10
extra bibs because I can’t stand a dirty
bib, an extra outfit for accidents, Hyland’s
teething tablets, Wubbanub pacifier,
Sophie the Giraffe [teething toy], sunscreen, baby food, and a bottle.
K: How do you manage your schedule with
a baby in tow?
N: First, I could not do it without my

nanny, Mimi. She is my everything. We
work really long hours on the show. I
don’t think I would be able to function
without knowing that my child is in the
best hands possible. Even still, I have
meltdowns when I can’t make it home
in time to put him to bed. Organization
and thinking ahead is also critical. I
set alarms on my phone to remind me
to do anything and everything—from
picking up diapers to rescheduling his
pediatrician appointment. At the end of
the day, I remind myself that I did my
best. You never cross everything off your
list and some area of your life always
gets neglected. Usually, it’s the gym for
me—but if I spend that extra hour with
my baby rather than at the gym, I am a
much happier human. He is my priority,
not my abs.
K: Virtues you will instill in Hudson.
N: I am a big believer in kindness.

Treat
others the way you would like to be treated. I also love a person with manners.
Others high on the list are generosity,
humility, confidence, commitment, gratitude, forgiveness, and of course love...of
yourself and others.
bc

Take care of your baby’s skin the best way you know how—with products that 100%
gentle and toxin-free, and made of the purest ingredients. Always check the label for
natural contents that are certified hypo-allergenic. Sometimes, our kids’ skin is sensitive
to ingredients that have strong scents, so make sure to check with your baby’s dermatologist for the best choices in skin care. Don’t forget to apply diaper rash cream for prevention and extra protection for your baby.

A Hairy Situation
Take care of your tresses, as sometimes, it’s all we’ve got to accessorize our look (especially with our busy schedules). To treat dry
hair or frizz, go for a once-a-week at-home conditioning treatment that revitalizes your hair, or try an everyday oil treatment that
you can apply before or after you blow-dry your hair.

Now that wind-chapped and cracked lips are in our immediate future, a
lipstick or lip balm that provides extra moisture and protection from the wind
and sun keep your lips extra kissable for school bus kisses—while keeping that
glam factor in check.

BC: What was it like growing up in Illinois?
Amy Weber: It was cold! I remember

that our nearest neighbor was miles
down the street, and I learned the value
of hardwork being from the Midwest.
My best memories were of being alone
and creating make-believe dreams, and
singing in my handmade forts.

BC: You reportedly grew up in an abusive
household. Who did you lean on during
these trying times? How do you think
can you teach your children about this
concept, as to avoid getting into abusive
relationships?
A: I unfortunately did. I didn’t really

have anyone to lean on, so I immersed
myself in music, books, and make-believe to escape from it. I think by show-

50

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ing my children a healthy, abuse-free
relationship firsthand with my husband,
I am already showing them that it does
exist. I grew up thinking that if a boy
didn’t beat me, he must be a good guy
simply based off that—my barometer
was pretty off!
BC: That is very sad to hear. Moving
forward to now, how did you become part
of WWE as a Diva under the Smackdown
brand? Were you already into contact
sports as a young woman?
A: I tried out for the WWE’s first ever

Diva Search and ended up in the top
10. After my departure, Vince McMahon called to ask if I wanted to come
on as a regular Diva to help with some
story lines. It was my first time working
in any sort of contact sports, unless you

count the face plants when I did hurdles in track.
BC: Haha! You also worked on several
television series and films, aside from
being a WWE Diva. Tell us more about that
and how you got into it.
A: It was always my dream to entertain

people, to provide an escape for others.
From the time I can remember, I was always putting on plays and little musicals,
so it was a natural thing for me to pursue
a career in the entertainment industry.
BC: What inspired you to write your book,
“An Insider’s Guide to Making it in Show
Business”?
A: After opening a modeling agency and

representing over 400 models and talent,
I realized that I had a lot of inside knowl-

Amy Webber

Most importantly, I listen to my children, and I think it
helps their self-esteem because they realize that I think
what they have to say is worth listening to.
edge that could be helpful to people just
getting into the business and for those
that were maybe stuck in a rut, so I just
started to put my thoughts and advice together and the book was born.
BC: Aside from being on TV, you’re also
a musical artist. How did you get into the
music business and who are your musical
influences?
A: Music has always been a big part of

my life. I finally decided to pursue it,
so I got into a recording studio. Luckily,
it seems to be working out. I really like
Pink, Cascada, The Crystal Method, Kylie Minogue.
BC: How was it like working with Sean
Kingston? Did you write “Dance of Life”

with him? Who else would you like to work
with in the near future?
A: Sean was great! A true professional.

He just knows what he wants and does it
with ease. You can tell that he has been
working really hard for a lot of years, and
I took a lot away from my experience
with him since I am relatively new. I just
got Romeo Miller on a single, and I am
so excited for everyone to hear the track!
I have a decent list that consists of Armin
Van Buuren, Taio Cruz, Akon, Drake
and Pitbull.

BC: Tell us more about being a “DES
baby” and why, like you, DES babies have
an increased risk for cervical cancer and
other pregnancy and fertility problems.
A: DES or Diethylstilbestrol was a syn-

thetic form of the hormone estrogen
that used to be prescribed to pregnant
women to prevent miscarriage, premature labor, and other related pregnancy
complications. It also increases the risk
of clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the cervix for the daughters of women who took
DES during pregnancy. Fertility problems are also more common for DES
babies.
BC: What was it like battling Stage 3 cervical cancer at the age of 21? What kept you
strong throughout the process?
A: It was a nightmare. I can’t even put

it into words. I didn’t really have anyone
to talk to about it or to rely on, so I used
music to get me through it and just sheer
determination to overcome it.

At 44, Amy Weber is an actress, model, film producer, former WWE Diva, and singer who has released her hit single “Let It Rain” in 2012, which
reached #6 on the UK Singles Chart and hit #4 on the Billboard Breakout Hits Chart in the US. She has also collaborated with Grammy winners The
Klubjumpers, Madonna’s personal DJ, the internationally famed Tracy Young.

bc-mag.com { anniversary 2014 } b c

51

Amy Weber
BC: What was it like being told that you might never
have kids?
A: It was heart breaking. As a woman, to be told

at such a young age that you are possibly barren,
which basically felt like broken, was horrible. I
hadn’t decided if I wanted to have kids, but to have
that choice taken away from me felt like a part of me
was being ripped out.

BC: You got pregnant post-operation but the pregnancy did not carry through. How does it feel now to
finally have children of your own and see that you’ve
overcome that experience and challenge?
A: Miscarriages might be common, but it didn’t

feel common when it was happening to me. It felt
horrible. I knew somehow that it was my fault—my
body’s fault—and I was so guilt-ridden over it. It is
truly a miracle that I have two amazing, happy, and
healthy toddlers running around.

BC: How did your husband help you find strength and
not give up hope? How did both of you respond to the
trials you had to face as a married couple trying to
build a family?
A: My husband is a very positive guy—sometimes

he is even more positive than me, which seems impossible! He was certainly a rock throughout the entire process, and of course, it has brought us closer
together. I think it can either tear you apart or make
you inseparable, and luckily for us, it did the latter.
BC: Tell us about your twins. How are they alike and
different, and who takes from you and your husband?
A: They are pretty amazing. I think they are beauti-

ful, but I am most proud that they have really great
manners and are truly sweet people. They have a
great sense of empathy for animals and others, and
I think they probably get that from me. They get
their humor mostly from Daddy, and their sense
of responsibility from me. They are very different,
but they are each other’s best friend at the end of
the day.

BC: How do you and your family bond?
A: I try to cook dinner at least four nights

a week.
We eat breakfast and dinner as a family and talk
about our days —this is our time to truly bond. We
are all pretty crazy, so we go on adventures together as often as we can. Most importantly, I listen to
my children, and I think it helps their self-esteem
because they realize that I think what they have to
say is worth listening to.
bc

I have learned to be happy with unexpected
results when it comes to parenting; skating
is much more cut and dry.
—bc dad and ultimate skateboarder, Tony
Hawk, on fatherhood

P H O T O G R A P H B Y B e njamin J am e s

Blessed are those who’ve never had to
hear an infant screech while trying to
get them to sit tightly in their car seat.
However, we’ve had fortunate experiences with the Cybex Aton Q (see page 53), which continues to
impress us with its sleek design, softness, and clever Telescopic
Linear Side-impact Protection System—and a new function that
allows the flattest possible lying angle between baby’s head, neck,
and chest to prevent his head from tipping forward and cause
breathing problems. We also love the XXL foldaway sun canopy
with UVP 50+ that protects against high sun irradiation and strong
wind. But caring for our kids on the road doesn’t stop at purchasing a high-quality infant car seat (Cybex is a multi-awarded brand
for its outstanding results in Europe’s most important consumer
safety tests)—it’s still imperative for us to read through the instruction manual and install the seat properly, as misused car seats
may do more harm than good during a collision.

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Skateboarding
Although harking back to California in the late ‘40s,
skateboarding seems to be making a comeback (not that
it ever really left) among many tween to teen boys and
girls. We don’t mind having our own little Avrils (does
she qualify?) and Tony Hawks at all. Today, skateboarding is no longer just affiliated to the surfing community
or the punk culture, it has become so mainstream that
even too-cool New Yorkers have been seen clutching a
board to school. Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield has
been a skateboard enthusiast since his younger years,
citing that he pitched the idea of Peter Parker skateboarding to the film’s producers, which they eventually
approved. Other stars who skateboard include Pharell
Williams (who used to be called “Skateboard P” back
in HS), comedian Dave Chappelle, Gossip Girl’s Penn
Badgley, and The Mentalist’s Simon Baker.

EXPLORING

Royal Treatment

T

01

he Goring, London’s only 5-star hotel that is still in family ownership
for 105 years. Run by the same family that built it, the staff are experts at
looking after guests of all ages, and the children’s program makes a stay
even more memorable. Quintessentially English and conveniently located as
it is moments away from Buckingham palace, The Goring is most famous in
recent years as the place where Kate Middleton stayed her last night before the
Royal Wedding. New parents will love the VIP treatment, with a waiting basket
of essentials to help care for your little one—lotions, changing mats and sacks,
bath toys and mats. Younger guests are welcomed by The Goring’s cuddly ‘Baaabara Sheep’ (above, right) and each room is equipped with the latest Nintendo
Wii, homemade biscuits and milk at turndown, bread bags for feeding the ducks
in St James Park, plus a program of things to do around London and surrounding areas (Legoland), organized by ‘Big John.’ Children can also let off steam
in The Goring’s private garden. Relax like Royals on their patio overlooking the
garden and enjoy the “Best Afternoon Tea Award” by the Tea Guild.

T

hese fascinating, mind-blowing, and sometimes breath-taking
play spaces for our children make us want to be kids all over
again. Case in point: Jerusalem’s David Citadel Hotel, which
features a playroom designed by Sarit Shani Hay. Over at Europe,
Ecole Maternelle Pajol is a kindergarten classroom in Rue Pajol that
comes alive from the Parisian architecture office Palatre & Leclère, a
1940s building that has been reimagined and restored. Other notable
destinations include Kids Castle in Burbank, CA; Giggles N’ Hugs
(which has venues in Los Angeles, Canoga Park, and Glendale, CA)
and Kidzania, which has franchises in Lisbon, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Tokyo, Jakarta, Kuwait, Philippines, among others.

of you said that you’ve upped
your kitchen game ever since
becoming a mother

Mealtimes can turn messy in an instant, that’s why we love these easy to clean
silicon place mats that double as coloring pages and doodle papers. For drinking aids, invest in BPA- and toxin-free made baby bottles, training cups, and
water containers for your child’s health—while helping save the environment
as a side product.

PARENTAL
APPS
negative reviews, and thought, when I’m
researching my products, I always type
in ‘the best.’ Why can’t we do something
that focuses on people’s ultimate favorite
product that makes discovering and sharing baby products really fun and it’s easy?”
This is how Favored By developed in
time. But more than just bookmarking
or liking certain products in a category,
Favored By also lets you follow influencers and like-minded people who enjoy
the same products you do. Ali explains, “I
knew that there were thousands of moms
out there facing the exact same thing that
I was, wanting to find the best products
for their family. I also wanted to find honest opinions, and I don’t wanna hear that
from the brand. I wanna hear that from
other moms so then I can go ahead and
make the best purchasing decisions for my
family.”
By downloading and using the app, parents and users can see which products
are trending in real time, search products,
brands, and categories and filter by likeminded people, location, or by your ‘follow.’

Former Miss USA, model,
actress, and mother of three, Ali Landry
has a lot on her plate, bringing up her
daughter, Estela, and sons Marcelo and
Valentin with her husband of 8 years,
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde—while
raising awareness on a project she is passionate about through The Red CARpet
Safety Event, and developing great solu-

tions for moms through the Favored By
app, which she co-founded and developed.
Ali shares the beginnings of her impressive app, since necessity is the mother of
invention, “We started out as a product
review app, and after working with brands
and people are a little leery about having

“We really try to give the best information
possible to save time,” Ali explains. “We
do exclusive discounts only on the products you want—by either what they’re favoring or what they’re putting on the wish
list. Say we have 100 moms that have favored [a product]. We ask the brand, “Can
you give us an exclusive discount?” Then
we send these moms, who are already interested in that car seat, an exclusive discount.”
For more information on Favored By, search
for it on iTunes or log on to www.favored.by.

OTHER APPS
Vine.co
For parents and kids who want to
capture and share quick moments
with family, whether it be a clip of
your baby’s first smile or laugh, or your son’s first
steps, Vine, the short-form video sharing service
lets you publish your 6-second videos and automatically share it with the world, through Twitter and Facebook. Vine.co also features several
channels you can browse through to discover interesting people, places, and things.

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Cozi
Whether you’re a mom looking to simplify tracking your busy family’s schedule or a dad who likes to keep up to
date with the goings on of the whole brood, Cozi is
an app that can give you all of that and more. Accessible through PC or Mac or via mobile and tablet,
Cozi enables users to manage schedules and activities (PTAs, play dates, and outings), track grocery
and shopping lists, tasks, and plan meals and even
store your very own favorite recipes for easy access.

Pirc
If you love to shop online,
you will certainly perk up
with Pirc, the app that lets
you keep track of your favorite items
and weekly deals. Create a personalized circular (or Pircular), build your
shopping list, and find out the sale
items and coupons you want to buy in
your favorite store this week. Print out
the coupons and discount shop.

Playmats are your best friend, before baby is strong
enough to turn over. In the process, they discover new
textures, colors, and patterns in this whimsical paradise. This Kushies reversible activity mat features a soft,
smooth, and fuzzy all-terrain environment, and black and
white graphics for neuro-optic stimulation.

Feeling overwhelmed and frustrated but have
no time to hit the gym, your husband, or the
boxing ring? Vent your frustrations on these
chic dolls that you can squeeze, wrangle,
throw, and whack against the wall or any hard
surfaces. These 12-inch stuffed cotton dolls
that come in a variety of funky designs with
instructional poems.
Classic doll, $15, Keychain, $10, both by DAMMIT DOLLS,
dammitdolls.com or amazon.com

DREAM MACHINE
If there ever was a baby furniture piece that made us
want to rethink the entire theme of our nursery, or break
down the existing one and start from scratch, this would
be it. However bassinets tend to be of short-term use, its
functionality cannot be discounted. Moveable, lightweight,
space saving—it more than seamlessly transforms into a toy
box when baby is old enough to stand inside. And believe
you me, this Baby Home can hold its own carrying those
CAT trucks and lego pieces.
Dream Premium leather bassinet on polished black aluminum
with Naturalmat handcrafted Coco Mat organic mattress by
BABYHOME, $1,200, giggle.com

06

reading
nooks

Cozy up with a cup
of tea, your favorite
scented candles
(Voluspa, shown
here, and Diptyque
Baies still reign as
far as aromatherapy
in our book) and
a great novel or
magazine at the
end of the day
when you have a
chance to get some
“me time.”

School season is in full swing for the youngsters, and whether it’s casual kicks, mary janes,
or glittered, help them choose shoes with
comfort as top priority (extra wiggle room for
toes, also good to consider). Remember they’ll
be wearing these for hours on end at school.
Don’t forget to ask the sales reps for durability,
as you’d want it to last through the year.

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01

Exotic
Destination: India

You know about the curry, bindi, those gorgeous turbans and the
Bollywood dancing (see Lily Collins in “Mirror, Mirror”)—but did
you know that India has become a fast favorite destination for families looking to expose their children to exotic cultures and palate
(Karim’s, Bukhara, Culture Curry)? “Punky Brewster” Soleil Moon
Frye shares some of her favorite photos (including elephant rides,
street sights, and one with her girls and the Dalai Lama) from her
recent travels, contrasted with the swanky goodness of the Aman
Resort their then-brood of four stayed at. Other activities to try with
the fam: book a private day trip to Agra and see the Taj Mahal and
Agra Fort; bird and butterfly watching in Mumbai at the Sanjay
Gandhi National Park; do a short course with bigger kids to study
Hindi and Sanskrit with famous octogenarian, Professor Shukla;
practice real deal Ashtanga Yoga with Madonna’s guru, K Pattabhi
Jois; and meditate together at the Bodhgaya.

Political drama
fans will also look
forward to CBS’
Madam Secratary,
which will follow
the
life of former CIA agent
Elizabeth Faulkner McCord (Tea Leoni)
as she plays the role of Secretary of State
to the nation, and mother to her family.
State of Affairs
(November 17)

Grey’s Anatomy
star
Katherine
Heigl makes her
TV
comeback
with NBC’s much
anticipated State of
Affairs,
a drama following CIA
analyst Charleston “Charlie” Whitney
Tucker, as she assembles and presents the
U.S. President’s Daily Briefing regarding
the most pressing security issues the
country is facing. The show also stars
Alfre Woodard as President Constance
Payton, Adam Kaufman Sheila Vand,
Cliff Chamberlain, and Tommy Savas.

03

Revenge (September 28)
Now that BC Cover Dad, James Tupper’s
character—the wronged David Clark—is
back with literally a vengeance, we cannot
wait to find out how he managed to pull
off being secretly dead for years. Also excited to see Emily’s deadpan expressions,
Hampton socials, and how Madeleine
Stowe to be hoarding the Fountain of
Youth all to herself.
Downton Abbey (January 4, 2015)
So we’ll never be royals, but what the heck?
Give this momma an extra hour on the couch
and we’d gladly spent the most part catching
up on this British period drama. Executive producer Gareth Neame promises more romance,
drama, and comedy “played out by some of
the most iconic characters on television.”

Awkward (September 23)
We’ve all seen Jenna (Ashley Rickards) trip,
fall, and go through the most awkward years
of teenage life, but as the show returns this
fall for part 2 of its fourth season, we’ll find out
if Eva really is pregnant, whether or not Jake
and Tamara will get back together, and Jenna’s
future for the rest of her senior year.

Modern Family (September 24)
We hope this will be one of those TV series
like “Days of Our Lives” that will outlive us
all. Imagine little Tucker-Pritchetts, and little
Glorias with their mother’s accent—but
male? We just gave this show a few more
storylines, we thinks. Also recently revealed
is Adam DeVine’s character, Andy, will be
back for several more episodes in this highly
anticipated new season.

Scandal (September 25)
Now that show star, haute mama Kerri Washington has given birth, Shonda Rhimes’ “Will
the US President ever marry his mistress?”
political thriller returns this fall on its fourth
season. However, we will surely miss Harrison (Columbus Short) whose death will be
explained. Also appearing in several episodes
this season is Portia de Rossi, whose role has
not yet been disclosed.

sweet
dreams, baby

1

2

3

Here’s a trend that should last: sleep sacks. Because
babies who sleep alone in their crib ideally must not have
pillows or blankets as they have been known to contribute
to SIDS, these sacks provide warmth while providing a
restful slumber for you both.
BC Recommends: Love to Dream’s swaddling system: Swaddle UP is stage 1, which allows babies to
self-soothe. It applies gentle pressure of the joints and
muscles to help sooth them and get them to sleep.
The space provided for his arms enables him to move
his hands nearer to his mouth for a more comfortable
position. Stage 2 or Swaddle UP 50/50 will transition
your child from the arms-up position to the arms-free
position, which is important when your baby begins to
roll, or when he’s between 4 to 6 months. The detachable wings lets him have one or both arms free. Stage
3 is the Inventa Sleep Bag, equipped with the Genius
Cooling System which will regulate your baby’s temperature without disturbing his precious rest.

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06

Footloose

A

lways wanted to be that
mom that clicketyclacks through your
children’s school hallways in
Isabel Marant boots, bespoke
initialed Goyard purse, in
head-to-toe Chloe or Helmut
Lang? Yeah well, we gave up
on that visual the moment
the stick turned pink. Here’s
what’s keeping our ‘kind of
pedicured’ piggies cute and
comfy while we engage in
our yearly post summer drill.

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01

Arm
Candy

Made of gorgeous, PVC-free faux
leather, the Charlie from Timi &
Leslie is actually a diaper bag disguised
as as designer bag, which features
custom hardware in antique brass
finish. You’ll love the cross body,
adjustable detachable strap so that you
can wear it hands-free, using them for
what matters most—your baby.
Charlie 7-Piece Diaper Bag Set in Mustard by TIMI &
LESLIE, $159.99, shoptimiandleslie.com

Personalized Wraps
We love leather, and we love inscribing notes
on presents. Two birds with one stone: scribble
love notes—or even your memoirs—inside these
Journal Wrap Cuffs from Melis.
Skins Journal Wrap Cuff for Women by
MELIS, $52, melis.com

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@happilyeverlyafter

@bleubird

@bikinibodymommy

@mammawatters
@heartandhabit

@danniremender

11

@luisafere

@madebylon
@kristinadarling
@mommasgonecity

Instagramoms

@unrulythings

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From body transformations, kitschy partyplanning skills, crafting tips that we’ll never be
able to nail, pregnancy style for those who are
luckily all belly, mixed race children—we are
hooked on these Instagramming folks. Now
you know whose feed we’re watching when it’s
that time of the night and you’ve actually got
about 45 minutes to call your own before all
the next day’s tasks creep in.

shopping bag

UMI SHOES
As our kids head back to school, slip them into a pair of UMI
Shoes that are designed with only the highest-quality drum-dyed
leathers and other non-toxic, environmentally friendly natural
materials that guarantee its durability throughout the school
year. Your children are sure to get happy feet as they run, skip,
and explore their way into learning. umishoes.com

CYBEX ATON Q
Back to school means back on the road, so make sure your
children are kept safe during travel with the Cybex Aton Q, which
marries safety and design and featuresbest
thefriends
Telescopic
Linear
for
their feet
Side-impact Protection (L.S.P. System). This system
keeps your
child safe by absorbing the force of a side-impact collision in
combination with the energy absorbing shell. It also features an
XXL fold-away sun canopy that also protects againstumishoes.com
wind and
rain. regallager.com

LOVE TO DREAM INVENTA SLEEP BAG
Sleep soundly with no worries at night by placing your child
in the Love to Dream Inventa Sleep Bag. This hypo-allergenic
Sleep Bag features a breakthrough Genuis Cooling System that
enables you to gently adjust temperature without disrupting
his sleep. It also has a silky, soft bamboo lining and filling that
is breathable and comfortable, an extra long side zipper for
easy diaper changes, and an amazing Longa Shorta feature
that allows you to adjust the length of the bag for your babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
growth. lovetodream.com

LA PICCOLA DANZA
This holiday season, dress your kids in La Piccola Danza, which
showcases the most fashionable clothes for little girls whether
for everyday glamour or special occasions. From metallic prints,
to drop waist dresses with glitters, and to sheer beaded caplets,
your daughter is sure to find something to love. The brand
has the perfect statement item from their big collection for
fashionable kids to wear. lapiccoladanza.com

02

Home & Style
Improvements

Body Art
I guess if SJP and Beyonce are
rockin’ it, we can also upgrade our
“cool mom” scores with these safe
temporary tattoos for all ages.
Temporary Tattoo Body Art (Pack of 4) by
MELIS, $4.50, melis.com

OPEN,
SESAME!
Gone are the days when
salads were mostly
Caesar. This Kewpie
Deep-Roasted Sesame
Dressing is a hit with all
ages—trust us, we did
a test with about 5 kids
already—and has been
charming taste buds the
world over. Available at
Amazon.com, this Asian
condiment is already
gaining a following in
America and all over
the world.

Best Mobile Sound Experience

SoundLink Mini Bluetooth speaker by BOSE, $199.95

Mouth-watering
Two goodness

Dominic Ansel
We were told we can’t use the word “cronut” without having to pay this gentleman a fee. Although we
won’t be so brazen to line up in the New York cold
to grab a cronut or one of these cookie cups (right)
with the little ones, this is a worthy claim of the
IOU’s your friend said she’ll pay you back for letting
her crash on your couch after an all-nighter, while
your in-laws were in town.

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If you have a spouse who’s difficult to please when it
comes to gifts, no one has ever complained about the
Bose SoundLink Mini. This Bluetooth speaker is so handy
and small, but performs majestically. Play music from
your phone, tablet, or computer through its Bluetooth
connectivity and share the fun with even those who don’t
want to jiggy with your tunes.

Here are some great breakfast and snack ideas for the whole
family. We’re loving organic chocolate and coffee, and
easy to prepare tummy-fillers for the kids, such
as organic pancake mixes and scones.
It’s also never too early to make a
Christmas list—remember, this
doubles as presents for your family
and friends, too.

First wave coffees were
comprised of those Folger’s
cans we used to buy in
bulk, next wave came
the Starbucks’, CBTLs,
and the like. The third wave boasts of independent
coffeehouses who have their own special beans, and also
snooty at-home coffee enthusiasts who produce coffeeshop envy worthy coffee from this simple-looking glass
called a Chemex. This coffeemaker is made of nonporous, borosilicate glass that is heat resistant and was
invented back in 1941 by Dr. Peter Schlumbohm PhD,
this hourglass-shaped vessel, when used together with
the filters, helps you brew coffee that is fine and properly
infused, for a better coffee experience. Its unique design
has earned it a space at the Museum of Modern Art, the
Smithsonian, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

keeping the ‘good’ in food

Cookie
Butter

Is it a crushed gingerbread cookie pureed into
soft, butter goodness?
Whatever it’s made of, we
just want it on bananas,
pancakes, milkshakes—
pretty much virtually
everything our tongue
comes in contact with.
Damn you both, Trader
Joe’s and Speculoos.

If you’re a mom who’s into creating your own
meals and snacks, then here’s a kitchen
staple that you should invest in. A food
dehydrator is designed to preserve fruits,
vegetables, and even meat by reducing the
water content in them. This version from
Ronco that we love features a Turbo fan that
dehydrates food as much as three times
faster than the original one and an adjustable
temperature control, saving you time, effort,
and energy. Its parts are also dishwasher safe,
so you don’t have to worry about cleanup.
EZ-Store 5-Tray Turbo Dehydrator by RONCO, $69.99,
ronco.com

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Daddy
Day
Care

10

Already shopping for your husband or his best bud who’s got one on the way? Here are some great ideas to send him off the
right path to fatherhood and everyday must-haves for the man of the house.
New School Toddler Tee by DADDY & CO., $16.95, daddyncompany.com . Switchblade 2-in-1 trimmer by MICROTOUCH, $19.99, getswitchblade.
com . Cotton Twill iPad Case in Black by NUEVUE, $63.99, nuevue.com . All-in-One Personal Trimmer by MICROTOUCH MAX, P14.99,
microtouchmax.com . The Complete A**Hole Dad: Random Musings of an Inappropriate Parent by DAN INDANTE, $14.95, danindante.com.
The One Classic Safety Razor by MICROTOUCH, $19.99, onerazor.com . The Guv’ner Deodorant Powder by LUSH, $10.45, lushusa.com . Total
Revitalizer Eye Anti-Wrinkle/Anti-Bags Lifting Cream by SHISEIDO MEN, $45, shiseido.com . Old School Daddy Tee by DADDY & CO., $24.95,
daddyncompany.com

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THE COMPLETE A**HOLE DAD
BY DAN INDANTE

T

ell us about yourself. I’m a bitter, vindictive
attorney who’s spent the better part of two
decades scrounging around in the conflicts
between people, companies, and other unmentionables. Experience has
taught me that pretty much everybody is full of crap, and I like writing about
the hypocrisy inherent in virtually all elements of society—except me, of
course. I also have two kids –ages 11 and 9–who appear to be smart enough
to quickly learn my enhanced levels of sarcasm and vitriol, so I wanted to
leave a record for them to emulate.
How many books have you written? My first book was called The Complete
A**Hole’s Guide to Handling Chicks, which was among the most offensive
works in the history of American literature and surely got me on the FBI
Watch List for the last 10+ years. The Complete A**Hole Dad (TCAD) is
my second, and is just as socially inappropriate as the first—maybe moreso
since I spend most of the time making fun of my family as opposed to the
soulless women I dated prior to getting married. My third book, 40 Is The
New 90, is an ode to middle age and all that comes with it, including, but
not limited to, hairy shoulders, peeing 30+ times/day, and throwing out your
back by opening a Coke can. I presume that it will be met with the same
universal silence and disregard that marred my first two releases.
Why did you write, TCAD? Because you can only read so many magazine ar-

ticles about restricting gluten from your children’s diets and requiring them
to wear a safety helmet while they’re watching TV before you say, “Enough
is enough!” I simply believe that the helicopterization of modern parenting
is destroying our children—and our ability to compete with China—on a
daily basis and I wanted to put something out in the universe that says, essentially, “Hey, your children will not end up living underneath a bridge if
you disavow all the alleged parenting experts, and let your kids watch more
than two hours of Sponge Bob per day, or occasionally eat a Twinkie.”

“Always use sunblock”.

One of the many hilarious (and all too real)
cartoons from Dan's third book,

01

"40 Is the New 90"

for the
road

Because you can never tell when an
adventure is about to take place, here’s
the ultimate in overnighters for baby—with
insulated snack and medicine boxes,
to clean and dirty clothes bags, matching pillow and blanket, your mom OCD is
instantly gratified.
My Bag Boy by
KUSHIES, $79.99,

I wrote it all so I think it’s ALL Pulitzer Prize-caliber but,
if I can avoid being a sarcastic jerk for at least one paragraph here, there are
four stories in the book that are clearly not A**hole-type material. “Leaving
for Camp,” “Breaking Away,” “Lea’s New Book,” and, “Pride” are not written in the same vicious manner as the rest, because they describe moments
of real connection that happened between my kids and I—as opposed to
acting as fodder for my twisted sense of humor. I really enjoyed telling those
stories and I believe they are the only reason why Child’s Protective Services
has not yet knocked on my door.

Favorite part in it?

kushiesonline.com

Message to closet (and upfront) dad a-holes? Be yourself, ya friggin’

a**hole. No matter how badly you think you’re screwing up your
kids, as long as you love ‘em, try your best, and keep them away from
the Tea Party, they’re gonna turn out fine. I’ve had interviews with
kids whose fathers are serving double life sentences for hacking up
an entire community with a machete, and even those children have
a tendency to claim that they’ve got the “best dad in the world.” If
you can’t compete with that by simply buying your child a stupid ice
cream cone once a decade, dude, you’ve got some real issues that even
reading my book can’t deal with.

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05

color-fall
Just because summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s out, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t
mean colors are. Dress your children
with whimsical prints that are great for
the weather, but are reminiscent of hot
summer days in the sun.

Who would have ever thought
that children’s sunnies will
top grown-ups’? Sons +
Daughters
eyewear
are
designed with spring hinges
for function and durability with
100% UV protection and is
available in tinted lenses. It’s
compatible with prescription
lenses, so style need not be
compromised when looking
for the right eyewear for your
precious ones’ peepers. Now
the question is, how will that
spring hold up when we try
the frames on for ourselves?
Hunter Sunglasses in Forest
Camo by sons + Daughters,
wearesonsanddaughters.com

Bobby Sunglasses in City Camo

Ferris Sunglasses in Black

04

harem
pants
Did you know that the
“modern” version of harem
pants, which originated in
India, was called Hammer
pants in the 1980’s thanks
to M.C. Hammer? Today,
celebrities are still wearing
these baggy, long pants—
including Justin Bieber,
Victoria Beckham, Heidi Klum,
Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry,
and Gwen Stefani, among
others. Want your baby to
look as chic as these stars?
Check out these uber cute
harems from Right Bank
Babies and let us know how
you’re styling them by tagging
us on Instagram: @bcmag
Slim Knit Harem Pant style 762, style 769, style 763, and 768, $21 each, all by
RIGHT BANK BABIES, rightbankbabies.com

born in the late ‘70s, in British Hong Kong to Chinese parents. When I
was 7, my family left our flat in the suburbs
and moved to New York City because of my
dad’s work, and there I remained for most
of my life. I initially chose advertising as a
profession, but somehow I knew that I didn’t
want to sell product for the rest of my life. By
Providence, I was called out to take a drastic
turn in my life, and that fantastic adventure
of remarkable mountaintops and miserable
valleys took me all over the USA. For now, I
reside in Missouri.

Day job
R: I am

a DO, doctor of osteopathic medicine finishing my specialty residency. There
are two kinds of medical doctors in this
world—MD’s and DO’s. I am trained in
conventional medicine but am rooted in osteopathic principles and manipulation. It’s a
hands-on therapy that builds health and can
treat away strain throughout the body. Now
I treat a lot of adults and children with problems including migraines, hip pain, plagiocephaly, cesarean section scar numbness
and more. It was during my naval medical
internship in family medicine—yes, I was in
the navy too—that I began my photographic
journey.

When and why you chose photographing children
R: Perhaps I was looking for artistic expres-

sion or an escape during the hardship of a
medical internship in 2008. I loved drawing,
paper crafts and music even as a kid, so art
has always been an active part of my life.
David Lebovitz, a pastry chef (whose recipes I still consult to this day), blogged such
mouth-watering photographs that I decided
to give photography a try. I began photographing my dinners, and later flowers, in
my rented apartment. But soon my enthusiasm subsided for lack of human interaction. Who could have fun playing around
while being my model? My good friends’
kids! When I was in New York, I spent over
10 years teaching in after-school programs,
tutoring programs, vacation bible schools,
youth groups and more. The rapport and

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connections I have with younger folk
over the years have been so fruitful and
rewarding that children became a natural photographic subject for me. As for
subject matter, I believe everyone can
identify with individuality and personality while recalling themes of friendship, love, confidence and uncertainty.
There’s a lot of negativity already in this
world. If during a photo shoot, I am
being encouraging and uplifting while
creating something beautiful, soulful or
spirited, it’s something I can look back
on and smile about.
Artistic influences
R: I’m gonna have

to give some praise
to my mom here! A productive worker
who’s gifted in Ikebana floral arrangement and as a soprano, she nurtured
my creativity, gave me affirmation, and
made me believe I can be anything.
Photographically, there are a countless number of authors and people I’ve
met who gave me a good foundation
in photography. Michael Freeman,
David duChemin, John Shaw, Tamara
Lackey, Audrey Woulard and many,

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many more wonderful individuals enlightened me on engaging my subjects,
proper lighting and photo retouching.
They showed me that I needed a new
set of eyes to see through the lens and
to pursue a deeper vision in photography. It wasn’t enough to do something
because it was “cool.” An image had
to convey interest, be evocative and be
deep enough to be thought-provoking.
It’s hard to nail it all the time but I try to
keep those things in mind. Nowadays,
my mind has shifted to a blend of fine
art and fashion photography. There are
elements of stillness, poetry, and drama
I’d like to incorporate more into my
photographs.
Tips for parents in capturing great moments with their own cameras/phones
R: Please crouch down! When your

eyes are parallel with your child’s, your
images will become much more personal. Another good reminder is to focus only on your child in your image.
The phrase “less is more” works well in
this case. Let’s say you’re in your backyard and your baby boy is surrounded

by the sky, the trees, the picnic table,
the barbecue, the potted plants and the
wandering cat. See what I mean? That’s
a lot of things to include in your image
adding clutter. Mooove in closer and
don’t be afraid to be too close. Do allow
the time and the space for your child
to truly be himself or herself. Avoid saying cheese or making them do what you
want. What is your child doing right
now? Tying shoelaces? Reading a book?
Sticking out her tongue? When they
grow up, they will not do those things
anymore, or perhaps not in the same
way. Capture them as they are now,
and years later you will remember how
those seemingly insignificant motions
had so melted your heart.
What went on in this shoot
R: I wanted to create a story that spoke of

a day at home, sibling love, community
and enjoying activities that were unplugged. As I jotted down notes, I began
to imagine kids jumping on a bed with
feathers. So I approached the mom for
permission, since this would be shot in
her house, and she boldly said, “Yes!”

The kids ended up cleaning all the
feathers with their dad while I packed
up my lighting equipment! It was such
a fun and relaxing shoot and we all just
played and laughed along the way. And
that is how the kids were placed at ease.
Children have such an innate drive for
connection that good, positive attention
instantly establishes a good vibe. When
I sense they’re being overwhelmed, we

take breaks. We have snack time and we
talk about all sorts of stuff in their lives.
Dream collaboration

Oh, man. It’s a dream, right?! I’d love
to do a tag team shoot with photographers Erika Verginelli and Dani
Brubaker. Their images are so fresh
and lively! I imagine they’d be fun
people and nice to work with and

learn from. I’d also love to get Kirsten
Rickert to create and style a story. Her
Instagram charm and her love for life
and nature is simply stunning. Her two
adorable girls would be the models,
too. Then the whole team would fly
to an Irish castle for an editorial shoot
and later to a French countryside cottage for le goûter (tea time) and a shoot
for Bonpoint!
bc

“There’s a lot of
negativity already in this world.
If during a photo
shoot, I am being
encouraging and
uplifting while creating something
beautiful, soulful
or spirited, it’s
something I can
look back on and
smile about.”

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